Stockdale football star to sit vs. Clovis

Stockdale High will be without star running back D.J. Martin for tonight's game against Clovis, a matchup at Lamonica Stadium of two of the top four teams in The Bee’s Central Section football rankings.

Problems continue to follow Stockdale High star running back D.J. Martin, who was declared academically ineligible today, removing him from tonight’s Central Section nonleague showdown at top-ranked Clovis and forcing the No. 4 Mustangs to forfeit wins in their two previous games.

Section commissioner Jim Crichlow said the issue was self-reported by Stockdale, which found that the 2010 All-State Underclassman football player didn’t complete the state-mandated 20 units from the previous grading period at an alternative education school he was attending. He was sent there in the spring after being expelled from Stockdale for disciplinary reasons.

The state also requires that students maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average to participate in high school athletes. Crichlow said the GPA wasn’t the issue in the Martin case, but failing to satisfy 20 units for the Kern High School District was.

Crichlow said the length of grading periods regarding athletic eligibility — six weeks (one/third), nine weeks (quarter) or 18 weeks (semester) — is determined by each school.
Stockdale’s first quarter will reportedly be completed Oct. 24, meaning Martin could return for the Mustangs’ Southwest Yosemite League game at home against Frontier Oct. 28.

A 1,900-yard, 23-touchdown back last year, he’ll miss at least another four games following tonight’s contest at Lamonica Stadium.

Martin this season rushed for 509 yards on just 24 carries, including 407 (along with five touchdowns) in a 60-16 season-opening win over East Bakersfield.